This invention relates generally to gas turbine engine nozzles and more particularly, to methods and apparatus for cooling gas turbine engine nozzles.
Gas turbine engines include combustors which ignite fuel-air mixtures which are then channeled through a turbine nozzle assembly towards a turbine. At least some known turbine nozzle assemblies include a plurality of nozzles arranged circumferentially and configured as doublets. A turbine nozzle doublet includes a pair of circumferentially-spaced hollow airfoil vanes coupled by integrally-formed inner and outer band platforms.
The doublet type turbine nozzles facilitate improving durability and reducing leakage in comparison to non-doublet turbine nozzles. Furthermore, turbine nozzle doublets also facilitate reducing manufacturing and assembly costs. In addition, because such turbine nozzles are subjected to high temperatures and may be subjected to high mechanical loads, at least some known doublets include an identical insert installed within each airfoil vane cavity to distribute cooling air supplied internally to each airfoil vane. The inserts include a plurality of openings extending through each side of the insert.
In a turbine nozzle, the temperature of the external gas is higher on the pressure-side than on the suction-side of each airfoil vane. Because the openings are arranged symmetrically between the opposite insert sides, the openings facilitate distributing the cooling air throughout the airfoil vane cavity to facilitate achieving approximately the same operating temperature on opposite sides of each airfoil. However, because of the construction of the doublet, mechanical loads and thermal stresses may still be induced unequally across the turbine nozzle. In particular, because of the orientation of the turbine nozzle with respect to the flowpath, typically the mechanical and thermal stresses induced to the trailing doublet airfoil vane are higher than those induced to the leading doublet airfoil vane. Over time, continued operation with an unequal distribution of stresses within the nozzle may shorten a useful life of the nozzle.
In one aspect of the invention, a method for assembling a turbine nozzle for a gas turbine engine is provided. The method includes providing a hollow doublet including a leading airfoil vane and a trailing airfoil vane coupled by at least one platform, wherein each airfoil vane includes a first sidewall and a second sidewall that extend between a respective leading and trailing edge. The method also includes inserting an insert into at least one of the airfoil vanes, wherein the insert includes a first sidewall including a first plurality of cooling openings that extend therethrough, and a second sidewall including a second plurality of cooling openings extending therethrough.
In another aspect, a method of operating a gas turbine engine is provided. The method includes directing fluid flow through the engine using at least one turbine airfoil nozzle that includes a leading airfoil and a trailing airfoil coupled by at least one platform that is formed integrally with the leading and trailing airfoils, and wherein each respective airfoil includes a first sidewall and a second sidewall that extend between respective leading and trailing edges to define a cavity therein. The method also includes directing cooling air into the turbine airfoil nozzle such that the nozzle trailing airfoil is cooled more than the leading airfoil.
In a further aspect of the invention, a turbine nozzle for a gas turbine engine is provided. The nozzle includes a pair of identical airfoil vanes coupled by at least one platform formed integrally with the airfoil vanes. Each airfoil vane includes a first sidewall and a second sidewall that are connected at a leading edge and a trailing edge, such that a cavity is defined therebetween. The nozzle also includes at least one insert that is configured to be inserted within the airfoil vane cavity and includes a first sidewall and a second sidewall. The insert first sidewall includes a first plurality of openings extending therethrough for directing cooling air towards at least one of the airfoil vane first and second sidewalls. The insert second sidewall includes a second plurality of openings that extend therethrough for directing cooling air towards at least one of the airfoil vane first and second sidewalls. The first plurality of openings are configured to facilitate lower metal temperatures therefrom than the second plurality of openings.